A NEW HOPE: BACK TO THE FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

International relations, both the subject matter and the discipline, have been in a state of malaise
for at least a decade: a seemingly never-ending stream of wars and crises in our object of study
is matched by a perceived disciplinary fragmentation and the alleged end of cohesive theorising about
major issues. Yet we often overlook the many reasons for not despairing: for example, globally, fewer
people than ever live in poverty and an energy revolution might be underway, while the discipline
of IR has become a more eclectic and inclusive space in terms of both its approaches and its
demographics. As a problem oriented discipline, IR has for more than a century oscillated between
bleak pessimism about the scale of the problems and naïve optimism about future solutions. After
a decade of despair, it is time that we once again broaden our horizons to include at least the possibility
of hope.

The 12th Pan-European Conference on International Relations invites the International Studies community
to explore the possible future(s) of international relations: will we be seeing recurring patterns
of enmity and conflict, a gradual change beyond the system or a positive trajectory towards a better
future? Is that future inevitable? Which present day choices are more instrumental in shaping the
things to come? We particularly welcome contributions that look to the future while being grounded
in nuanced understandings of the past. While we encourage participants to submit proposals in line
with the conference theme, we are open to and invite contributions from all sub-fields of International
Studies, as well as from the other branches of the social sciences that are concerned with similar
questions and themes.